Dirigible headlight



ly 5 1927 G. s. KECK DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT Filed July 19 1924 Patented July 5, 1,922.7.l i

usarse sra-Tas 'PAfrEN'r oFFicE...

Gnonen snarrnn Knox, or PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, Assienon ToY THEINTERNA- 'rio-nar. oon'rnoLLnn :sans coureur, oswini'iinsroiv, DELAWARE,- A oonronn .TIN OE DELAWARE.

Application 1ed July 19,

This' invention relatesA to dirigible headlights and onev object of the inventionisito vprovide' a: simpleI eiiicient headlight which willbe'cont-rolled by'the steering mechanismr to cause the light to be always projectedrdiiectl'y7 in iront of the automobile, whether the latter is moving forwardly in) a` .straight line or is making a turn. I

A 1li'irther object oi the invention is to provideA such a device' having improved means for rotatably' supporting'r vthe headlight. I

A further object of ti 'eminent-ioni is tozprovide in suoli a' devicean improved actuating mechanism for transmitting motiony from the steeringmechanism'to the headlight.,

Other objects of tlieinvent-ion.will appear as the device is described in detail. I

In the accompanyii g' drawings F1g..1 is. a rear elevation, partly broken aavayy ot a headlight and its supporting device; Figif is a sido elevation of the saine with the' supporting device in section; Fig'. .3: is. ai ,secf tional ldetail view of the actuating meenanism; Fig-e1 is a section' talvon' onwthe line Ll---l of Fig; 3; and Fig. 5 isa side elevation, partly in sectionq ot'f a modified torni of mounting device for the headlight.,

lin these drawings l` have illustrated one embodiment oli my invent-loin! together with av slight modification thereof, and have shown the same as' designed for application to a headlight of ordinary construction. but it will be understood that tliedevice may be a'da'oted to headlights ofy various kinds and may beso designed as tov adapt it toy automobiles of dilierent kinds, without departing fromthe spirit ottlie invention.

ln that form of the device here shown the headlight proper, as'dist-inguishod .from the supporting and actuzucingl devices', is shown as comprising a casing 1E having mounted therein a reflector 2 and avlamp 3. This headlight is carried by a-y suitable support which is rotatable about'V aA substantiallyven tical axis to permit thek headlight to be turned from oneY position to another; The headlight and' its mounting device are carried by suitablesupportine` structure which is mounted upon a fixed part of the automobile. As here shown, this supporting structurel comprises an upright meinber'e` having at its lower end la laterally extending; portion 5 which is connected witgA transverse nraieinn Hnnimornr.

192e. seriar No. 7265944'.

member 6 yextending across the automobile Ain front ,of theradiator. In` the present instanceythe transverse. member 6 is in the form. of a tubular rod. whichk may be mounted at its ends on the res-pectivefenders or upon other fixedA parts of: the automobile. It will bev understood that ordinarily two headlights are employedA and consequently the transverse member 6y will: be. provided with two upright members il arranged near the respective ends thereof.. Inasmuch as the means for mounting and actuating both lamps are identical I have here shown amd willnoiv describe but one of them. y Y

In the present construction the tubular transverse member 6y is provided with an upwardly extending boss?, towhich the arm 5 of the upright member 4l is rigidly secured, and in this boss. ismounted a bearing member. This bearing member ishere shown in the form of af short tube2 8v fitting snugly Within the boss? and having its rupper end enlarged, as shown at 9, to form a bearing surface, which is preferably provided with a ballracetoi'eceivebearing balls 10. At i its upper end the upright member 4 is provided with asecond transverse' member or arm 11 which carriesi and, in the present instance is adjustably secured to, an upper bearing; member 12 which is arranged in substantially vertical alinement with the lower bearing member 8. This upper bearing member is here shown in the form olla disk having; onl its lower side awbearing surface 13y provided: with. a ball race. and also hav-ing anv :annular flange 11i. depending from. the circumferential edge'. thereof. Interposed between the two. bearing members is a headlight supporting member 15y having at its respective ends parts adapted to cooperate respectively with. the lower and upper bearing members 8 and 12. The' supporting member 1:5- -ispreferably inthe form oi" a hollow standard and has its. upperend en,- larged, asshown at 16, to provide a bearing member adapted toA lie wit-hin. thel flange 14 of4 the upper bearing member. This en,- larged upper end oi the supportingmember is provided 'with a ball race to receive bearingv balls 17 which. are interposed between the same and the upper. bearing member. The lower end' of thetsupporting member is also enlarged, as showny at 1,8, and has a circumferential 'flange 19 to receive the enlarged upper end of the bearing member 8. rllhe enlarged end 13 is also provided with ball races to receive the bearing balls l0 ot the lower bearing. rEhe bearings may be assembled and adjusted in any suitable manner and, in the present device, the upper bearing member is secured to the arm ll by means of a screw threaded stud 27 which extends upwardly trom the disk l2 through an opening in the arm li and is held in adjusted positions in said arm by a nut and a lock nut 33, the latter being pret'eably in the term ot' a cap to enclose the end ont the stud. The width ot the flange 14 such that when the disk is moved up against the arm the llange will clear the upper end ot the supporting member l5 and may be moved laterally relatively thereto. The arm ll is capable of swinging movement to permit the bearing member l2 to be moved into and out ot alinement with the supporting member and, as here shown, the upright member 4 is formed in two parts, one of which is provided with a screw threaded socket 23 to receive the adjacent end or the other part. lf desired, the enlarged end 18 of the supporting member l5 and the upper bearing member l2 may be provided with openings 20 which lead to the respective ball races to provide means for lubricating the bearings. The headlight is rigidly secured to the supporting member, which, in ei'lect, forms a part or' the headlight proper, and the point ot support is arranged between the upper and lower bearings. ln the construction shown in Figs. l and 2 the casing ot the headlight is secured to the tubular supporting` member by means ot an elongated band or sleeve 21 which is rioidly secured to the casing l, and which fits snugly about the supporting member and may, it desired, be brazed or otherwise secured there-to. rlhe socket for the lamp 3 is arranged in line with an opening 22 in the tubular supporting member through which extend the wires 23 which are led into the supporting memr ber through an opening 24 formed in the supporting member l5. Rotator-y movement may be imparted to the support-ing member and the headlight 'trom the steering mechanism in any suitable manner but, preferably, the supporting member has connected therewith a downwardly extending stud 25 with which is connected the upper end o1 a liexible shaft 26 the opposite end ot which is connected with a suitable actuating device which is operated by the steering mechanism.

The flexible shatt 26 extends downwardly and rearwardly trom the headlight support and has its lower end operatively connected with an actuating member mounted on the axle ot the automobile. rlhis actuating member is here shown as an arm 38 pivotally mounted on a bracket 39 which is rigidly secured to the axle 40. The bracket Lesa-,58o

39 may be secured to the axle in any suitable manner but is here shown as a band which embraces the upper portion ot' the axle and is brazed thereto. The l'lexible shattis connected with the arm 38 inline with the axis ot that arm and, as here shown, the arm is provided with an upwardly extending axial stud 4l to which the lower end o1 the shaft is secured. The outer end of the arm 3S is slotted, as shown at 42, and adapted to embrace a stud 43 rigidly secured to and extending upwardly t'rom the transversely movable drag bar 44 ot the steering mechanism. As here shown, a connecting member is mounted on the drag bar to support the Stud thereon. Preferably this connecting member is in the term 0Ip a split band 45 clamped about t-he bar and having at its upper side a screw threaded boss 46 into which thel stud 43 is screw threaded, this being tor the purpose ot facilitating the assembly ot the device.

rlhe actuating memberor arm 33 may be pivotally mounted on the bracket 39 carried by the axle 40, in any suitable manner and, in the present device, I have interposed between the bracket and the arm a ball bearing of such a construction that it is welladapted tor this purpose and can be easily assembled. s here shown, the supporting bracket 39 is provided with a short upwardly extending boss 43 having an internal screw thread and a non-circular or square exterior contour. Supported on-the bracket 39 is a lower bearing 49 having a central opening shaped to fit snugly on the boss 48, preferably with a driving tit. This bearing member is provided in its upper surface with an annular recess 50 extending about the central opening therein and ot such a depth that its bottom will be substantially flush with the upper edge ot the boss 43. A screw 51 is threaded into the boss and has its head seated in the recess 50 so as to clamp the bearing member 49 onto the bracket 39. The upper surface of the bearing member 49 has a ball race to receive bearing balls 52. An upper bearing member 53 is arranged above the lower bearing member 49 and provided with a circuin'lerentially depending flange 54 which is screw threaded onto a corresponding ila-nge 55 which extends upwardly from the lower bearing member. The upper bearing member 53 is provided with-a central opening' 5G, through which extends a stud 57 rigidly secured to and depending from the actuating arm 33. The upper portion of the stud is cylindrical in form and extends loosely through the opening 56 in the upper bearing member, and the lower portion of the stud is non-circular or squared, as shown at 58. lnterposed between the ripper and lower bearing` members is a third or intermediate bearing member 59 having a squared opening to receive the lower end 58 of the stud 57,

52 which rest upon the lower bearing mem` ber and to support` bearing balls 61 between the upper side of the intermediate bearing member and the upper bearing member.

When the upper bearing member has beenV screw t readed onto the lower bearing member to properly adjust the friction on the balls t in upper surface ofthe upper bearing member will be spaced slightly from the lower surface of the actuating arm 38 so that there'will be no frictional Contact between these members. lf desired, the arm 88 may be provided with a lubricating port 62 connected' at its upper end with a lubri cant receptacle 63 and communicating at its lower end with the opening 56 about the stnd 57. ln assembling this bearing the lower bearing member is first attached to the bracket 39, the actuating arm is then inverted, the upper bearing member placed in position about the stud 57, the balls arranged in the balli-aces and the intermediate bearing member then secured to the end of the stud by means of the screw GO. rlhe bearing arm is then restored to its normal position and the upper bearing member' screw threaded onto the lower bearing member a distance sullicient to give the proper adjustment to the caring, in which position it may be secured -in any suitable manner, as by a set screw 90 extending through the flange 54 and engaging the bracketY 39. rlhe arm is then properly positioned withv relation to the drag bar lf/f and the stud 47 is inserted through the slot 2 and screw threaded into the connecting member 4:5. rlhe flexible shaft is then secured to the stud ll and the assembly is complete.

lt will be obvious that the manner of mounting the headlight on the supporting structure may take various forms and in Fig. 5, have shown a modification of this mounting. As there shown the supporting structure comprises an upright member 6a which may be secured either to the transverse bar 6 or to any ,otherl fixed part of the automobile. Rigidly secured to this upright member are laterally extending arms 65 and 66 which are spaced apart in substantially vertical alinement. The upper arm 65 is provided at its outer end with a screw threaded socket 67 in which is threaded a stud 68 having at its lower 'end a bearing member 69. The upper end of the stud entends beyond the socket 67 and is held in position by means of a nut 70 and a lock nut 7l, which is preferably in the form of a cap Y with a socket 76-but,in the present instance,

to enclose the upper endf of the stud. The bearing member 69 has ai depending circumferential flange 72 tol receive a cooperating bearing member 7 3 which is rigidly secured to the top wall of the casing of the headlight, which is shown at 7 l, the two'bearing members being provided with ball races to receive bearing balls 75. The lower 'arm 66 of the supporting structure is also provided 75 this socket is not screw threaded but is smooth and adapted to receive ahollow boss 77 depending from a circular bearing member 78, which is secured in position onY the arm bymeans of a set screw 7.9 extending through the socket 76 into engagement with the boss 77. A bearing member 8O,y isrigidly secured to the lower end' of the headlight casing and provided with a. depending flange 8l to embrace the bearing member 78 and both bearing members have ball` races to receive balls 82. The bearing member 80,' which is carried bythe casing, has a stud or pin 83 rigidly secured thereto and extending through and beyond the hollow boss 70 to enable it' to be connected with the flexibleY shaft 2b'. The wires may be led into the headlight casing iny any suitable manner but,

` as here shown, the casing is provided in one wall thereof with an opening 84 through 95 which the wires are passed.

The operation of the device willbe readily understood from the foregoing" description of the several parts thereof and it will be apparent that I have provided a simple highly ellicient dirigible headlight,l the position of which will be positively controlled by the operation of the steering mechanism. The device as a whole is of such a construction that there willv be. very little friction between the several parts thereof and no likelihood of these parts binding or the parts becoming loose and rattling. The device can be produced at a relatively low cost and can be readily mounted on automobiles of various kinds. While l have shown and' described one embodiment of my invention I' wish it to be understood that l do not desire to be limited toy the details thereof as various 115 headlight comp,Y

from to provide spaces to receive anti-fric` tion devices, an axial stud secured to said intermediate bearii member and extending through said op roi' connecting t, and an actuating member conneue `r`h said stud.

2. [in actuating device for a rotatable a shallow cylindrical housing, one the nd u1. ls of which has an opening' thf` rough, meins for mounting said housing on a supporting structure, a disk mounted within said housing for rotatory movement, an axia stud connected with said dish and extending through said opening, means 'V connecting said stud with said headli and an actuating member connected w h said dish,

3. in aetuatinev device for a rotatable headlight compri ing a shallow cylindrical housing having upper and lower members, one of which ha@4 a circun ferential flange to and one of which ing, e, dislr rotatably housing, al J'i-frietion -n the respective and lower has a l mounted within reid members interposed bet members, a stud seenextending through said ope secured to ,id stud, means said stud with said l for mounting said heus, structure.

l. The combination with an automobile comprising an axle and transversely niev- 7 Aig on a supporting porting structure, of br r secured said axle, a lower bearing to said burclet, an upper rg member' mounted on the lower beariu member and spaced therefrom, an actuating member having a part extending loosely through said upper bearing member, an intermediate bearine` member arranged between said upper and lower bearing members and rigidly connected with said actuating member, an operative connection between said actuating member and said steering member, and a means to connect said. actuating member vith said hear i 5. rihe coinbin f 'i an automobile con'iprisinq an axle and a transversely movable stee i u' member, a suA porting structure mounted on said automobile, and a headlight rotatably mounted on said su),- porting structure, of :i bracket rigidly se cured to said axle, a lower bearing member secured to said braclfet having a ball race in the upper face there g threaded peripheral portion, an up per bearing member having' a. ball race in the inner face thereof and having a depending flange screw threaded onto said lower bearing member, an actuating arm having a stud regreso which extends loosely through said upper bearing member centrally thereof, an intermediate bearing member rigidly secured to said stud and arranged between said upper and lower bearing members, said intermediate bearing member having ball races 0pposed to the ball races in said upper and lower bearing members, balls mounted in the respective ball races, a means to connect said actuating arm with said headlight, and an operative connection between said actuating arm and said steering member.

6. A bearing comprising a lower member having a ball race in the upper face thereof and having a screw threaded peripheral portion, an upper bearing member having a central opening, a ball race formed in the inner face thereof concentrically with said i bers, and balls mounted in the respectiveV ball races.

7. The combination with an automobile comprising an axle and a transversely movable steering member, a supporting structure mounted on said automobile, a bearing member carried by said supporting structure and having a ball race in the upper face thereof' and an opening arranged cenltrally of said race, a headlight comprising a casing, a bearing member rigidly secured to said casing, having a ball race opposed to the ball race of the first mentioned bearing member and having a stud extending through the opening in said first mentioned bearing member, and balls mounted in said ball races, of an actuating device compris ing a bearing member rigidly secured to said axle and having a ball race in the upper face thereof, a second bearing member arranged above said bearing member on said axle and having a ball race in the lower surface thereof, balls mounted in the last mentioned ball races, an arm rigidly secured to the last mentioned bearing member, means for operatively connect-ing said arm with said steering member, and a flexible member connected at one end with said stud and at the other end with said arm substantially in line with the axis thereof.

8. ln a device of the character described, a. supporting structure comprising a member having a vertically arranged socket and also having an upwardly extending part, a tubular bearing member mounted in said and a depending flange screwV lill) socket andihaving its upper end enlarged and provided with a ball race, a bearing member supported at the Lipper end of the upwardly extending part of said supporting structure and having its lower face provided with a ball race, a rotatable member arranged between said bearings and having its ends enlarged and provided with ball races opposed respectively to the ball races in the upper and lower' bearing members, balls mounted in the respective ball races, a headlight arranged in front of and rigidly connected with said rotatable member, al part connected with said rotatable member and extending through said tubular bearing, and means for connecting said part with an actuating device.

9. In a device of the character described, a supporting structure comprising an upright member, a bearing member supported by said upright member near the lower end thereof and havingan axial opening, a sec ond bearing member supported by said upright member near the upper end thereof, arranged in line with the first mentioned bearing member and adjustable toward and from the same, a rotatable member arranged between said bearing members and having parts to cooperate therewith, means for mounting a headlight on said rotatable member for rotation therewith, and means connected with said rotatable member and extending through the opening in said lower bearing for imparting rotatory movement to said rotatable member and said headlight.

10. In a device of the character described,

a supporting structure comprising an up-V at the lower end of said upright member, a bearing member screw threaded into the laterally extending portion at the Lipper end of said upright member, a nut to secure said upper bearing in adjusted positions, a rotatable member arranged between `said bearing members and having parts to cooperate vwith the respective bearing members, a headlight carried by said rotatable member,-

`means for imparting rotatory movement to said rotatable member.

11. In a device of the character described, a supporting structure comprising an upright member having Vlaterally extending portions arranged one above the other, a tubular bearing member supported in the Ylower lateral portion of said supporting structure, a. bearing member having a stud screw threaded into the upper lateral portion of said supporting member, said bearing member' having a downwardly extending flange, a nut mounted on said stud to secure said bearing member in adjusted positions,

a rotatable member arranged between said bearing members and having at its lower end a bearing surface opposed to the lower bearing member and provided with a fiange to embrace said lower bearing member, said rotatable member having at its upper end a bearing surface adapted to enter the flange on said` upper bearing member,

the upper lateral portion of said upright member being movable laterally in relation to the lower lateralportion thereof, a headlight carried by said rotatable member, and means forimparting rotatory movement to said rotatable member. Y

In testimony whereof, I affixV my signature hereto. l v

GEORGE SHAFFER KECK. 

